I recently got the KLP chip from John Kallman. It is our first documented “Illegal Of The Day” from Canada. It was challenging. The ID on the flip said it was from Winnipeg, Canada. The Mason record card said it was sent to Duluth, MN. Never fear, my “Friend Of The Hobby” is a genius.

Enough of that:

Winnipeg, Canada:

KLP

Came across some interesting stuff on this one—still some unanswered questions though. The Mason card says the chips were delivered to M. Crawford at 418 W. Superior in May 1946.The delivery address was a building in downtown Duluth, MN which housed 8 businesses. 5 of these businesses were Canadian enterprises:
3 railroads (Canadian National Railways.
Grand Trunk System; Duluth, Winnipeg & Pacific Railway.)
2 steamship lines (Canada Steamship Lines; Northern Navigation Co.)

The only M. Crawford in Duluth that I could find at the time of the delivery was a Matthew McColl Crawford, a ship captain. I didn’t find any evidence that he worked for the Canadian steam ship lines which were located at the delivery address. I haven’t been able to figure out what, if any, connection there is between the fact that the chips were delivered to an address in Duluth which housed Canadian businesses and the fact that 2 years later the chips end up in Winnipeg, Canada—but it seems like it would be a bit of a coincidence if there wasn’t one.

My note: When I got the KLP chip it had a detailed ID on the flip the chip was in.
Max Koffmam
190 McKenzie ST
Winnipeg, Canada
1948
Ordered thousands of chips.
My note: Read on for Max’s story.

There were 3 Max Koffman’s in Winnipeg when the chips found their way there in 1948.The one who resided at 190 McKenzie was a well known gambling operator in Winnipeg for decades. Koffman was arrested as early as 1927 on gambling charges. He was busted numerous times in the 40’s for running floating craps games in private residences.

Here’s some of his busts which made the newspapers, all from the Winnipeg Free Press (I guess “morality squad” is Canadian for “vice squad”). The last article is especially good.

28sept1927:

10 years later, 31july1937:

About 10 years after above, 29oct1946:

Around the time the KLP chips get to Winnipeg, 5may1948:

About a year later raided by the Mounties, 4may1949:

About a year after that, 26oct1950:

The article below, dated 4oct1948, is very interesting. It’s only the second article about a gambling raid that I’ve ever seen in which the chips which are confiscated are described: “Over 700 gambling chips were seized...some of the chips had the initials K. L. P. on them.” The police inspector makes an intriguing comment about the confiscated chips:

“This involves a considerable loss to the gamblers as all the chips have to be brought in from the United States.”
My note: I wonder if Mason refused to mail the chips directly to Canada?

I’m not sure exactly how to interpret the inspector’s comment, but could this help explain why the chips were sent to Duluth?? Why would chips have to be “brought in” from the US? Maybe “brought in” simply means mailed in from a US distributor?

A little more food for thought....
Here’s a Winnipeg ad from May 1946, same time as the chip order. It’s advertising a cruise on the Great Lakes which leaves every Tuesday from Duluth. Three of the businesses at the chip delivery address are mentioned: Canadian National Railway (CNR) and Northern Navigation Division of Canada Steamship Lines.

Another ad a few weeks later--the chips appear to have been delivered to the address of the Duluth end of this Canadian “Lake & Rail” enterprise. Speculation: maybe Matthew Crawford, the ship captain, was a captain of one of these boats and the chips were used on the cruise???